Dispensing device



Dec. 27, 1938. f J. A. DIEMR I v 2,141,584

DISPENS ING DEVICEv Original Filed Nov. 6, 1955 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 27, 1938 PAT @E fNQtember 6 1932?. Serial.

This application :is :as sa subst abandoned,applicatiomeri `Vember. 6, .1,93'5.

This inventionI relatestoarticledispensing der vices andhasforitsgeneral,J ,n

' of a simple and economical y.d vicel A adapted-forthedispensine (1f-,eating ,tensile 11911 as knives. forksandrspoils- A more Specic Object fof reyemreetien .t0 provide aA dirspen'singlcabinlet in .utensils mavbzontainedn itary conditiomfrom whichlca, ne may be readily.disnensedetrwlkbn operation of f a plunger.

Another obieoto'f my ieventien gviding a novel arrangement ,of L which articles Yhaving ,ap,irregular` r u Contour, such. fon-examples@ @riesen .moes may be efficiently ejected to a suspended position so as. tobereadily by the user, as required.

The invention will be fully and comprehensively understood from a consideration of the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing which forms part of the application, with the understanding, however, that the improvement is capable of extended application and is not confined to the exact showing of the drawing nor to the precise construction described and, therefore, such changes and modifications may be made therein as do not affect the spirit of the invention nor exceed the scope thereof as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a table utensil dispensing cabinet embodying the features of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating the mode of operation of my dispensing device; and

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section thru the hopper for containing the articles to be dispensed, taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawing for a more detailed description thereof, the numeral 4 indicates the dispensing cabinet embodying my inane tra vention, which is provided with a hingedly mounted cover 5 at the top or side thereof. The interior of the cabinet 4 is divided into a plurality of vertical compartments by partitions 6, each com- 0 partment being intended to contain respectively the required knives, forks, spoons, etc., or other article to be dispensed.

In the front wall of the cabinet 4 are arranged suitable indicia by which to identify the contents of each compartment. Preferably, I employ This aangaan April' p. 244

(Cl. :S12-170) a series of glass covereddisplaycases 'L one for .each of the mentioned compartments, in which ,cases ,arefdisplayedthe article corresponding to the :lontents yof the particular compartment in ywhichit appears. In eachof the compartments :5 comprising my dispensingcabinet isrfremovably ,supported a hopper, orverticalchute 8 suspended for convenient removal as by the brackets .3. The function of the hopper 8 is to retain iny a. vertical 4 staclrthe Iarticles tovbedispensed, -such yas the .spoonsillustrated Thefpreferredembodiment ofa suitable hopper comprises 4opposed `vertical `guide channelsy Ill ,and

VII Varranged tocontact corresponding end por- .wtionsofthe articles yto be dispensed. The kguide 715 .channelsl'and- I Iare connected into a composite ,str uct-nreby thesidepanels I.2,`Which panels are ,omitted at thetop and bottom of the vhopper Eastofacilitatethe loading of same. Atthe lbettom'fpf een@ reward-.guid- Channel It ,is ,provided a horizontal shelf I 3 extending inwardly, against which the forward end of the lowermost article may rest in support of the entire stack. The rear guide channel II is` likewise provided with a shelf I4, which shelf is preferably resilient in structure and bent downwardly, as shown, for the purposes hereinafter described. In the front Wall of the channel I0 just above the shelf I3 is cut an aperture I5 of a size ample to permit the entrance of an ejecting plunger I6 into the hopper 8. The rear wall of the channel II is provided with an aperture I'I of a size to permit only the passage thru same of the lowermost article.

The plunger I6 is mounted for axial sliding on the front of the cabinet 4, being supported on a slide plate I8 and a guide tube I9; The' tube I9 is rigidly attached to the plate I8, which plate is secured to the front wall of the cabinet 4 as by the screws 2li. Suitable means for urging the plunger I6 outwardly is provided, such as the coil spring 2l surrounding the plunger, which spring is backed by the plate I8 to press against a collar 22 securedto the plunger I5.

The upper portion of the end of the plunger I6 projecting into the cabinet 4 is provided with a bevel 23. The normal position of the plunger I6 is indicated by do-t and dash outline, in which position the lowermost article is resting on the shelf I3. When the article is to be dispensedV the plunger I6 is manually pressed inwardly against the force of the spring 2l, whence the inner end 24 of the plunger engages with the forward end of the article. Coactively with this operation, the front end of the article just above the lowermost one is engaged on the bevel 23, 55

position shown'in full line, in which position the article is frictionally engaged between the resilient shelf I4 and the rear end of the remaining articles in the stack. The resilience of the shelf i4 provides a cushioning eiTect for the article as it lowers to its angular position upon release from l Vthe front shelf I3. In this angular position the article required may be readily grasped by the hand inserted into a suitable opening 25 out in the front Wall of the cabinet 4.

It will be observed that my invention assures sanitary protection for eating utensils as Well as convenient means by which each utensil as required may be readily dispensed from the cabinet by a simple operation of the plunger i6 and a subsequent Withdrawal of `the articlefrom the cabinet.

I claim:

l.Y A device of the characterr described comprising a cabinet, a magazine removably supported in said cabinet and adapted to retain a Vseries of articles vertically stacked therein, spaced means Yadjacent the bottom of said lmagazine for supporting the articles -at their ends, a resiliently mounted plunger carried on said casing and.disposed adjacent the bottom of said magazine so as to push the bottom article fromV one of 'the Vsupporting means, said magazine comprising spaced vertical guideV channels including end Walls terminating above the supporting means to present apertures, through one of which an end of said article extends when the article is pushed off one of the supporting means, said plunger Y operating in said other aperture.

2. A device'of the character described comprising a magazine substantially open at the bottom in which articlesA may-be stacked vertically, a pair of spaced shelves projecting substantially into saidV magazine uponrwhich the ends of the lowermost article are supported, a resiliently mounted plunger adjacent the bottom of said magazine and'adapted to Ypush the bottom article from one of said shelves, saidmagazine including end walls terminating above said shelves topresent apertures, through one of which an end of f theilowermost article extends when same is pushedV off one of its supports, said plunger being axially slidable in said other aperture and having an inclined end portion adapted to raise and support the articles above the lowerinost one Vwhile the latter is pushed oi oneof itssupports.

3. A device of the character described comprising a magazine Ysubstantially openV at the bottom and in which articles mayY be vertically stacked, spaced means adjacent the bottom o said magazinefors'upporting the articles Vat their ends, said magazine-comprising spaced guide channels l including Vend walls terminating above said article supporting means to present apertures, through one of which an end of the loWermost article eX- tends when the article is pushed ofi one of its supports, a resiliently mounted plunger operating in said other aperture and adapted topush-the bottomV article from one Yof its supporting means,

said otherY supporting means comprising a resilient shelf adapted to hold the corresponding end ofthe lowermost article in suspension.

JOSEPH A. DIEMER. 

